Embroidery thread box

ABSTRACT

A HOUSING INCLUDING AN OPEN SIDE WITH A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY PLANAR MEMBERS DISPOSED WITHIN THE HOUSING AND IN SPACED SIDE BY SIDE PARALLEL RELATION AT GENERALLY RIGHT ANGLES RELATIVE TO THE OPEN SIDE OF THE HOUSING. THE PLANAR MEMBERS ARE SUPPORTED FROM THE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUAL EDGEWISE EXTENSION AND RETRACTION RELATIVE TO AND THROUGH THE OPEN SIDE OF THE HOUSING. AT LEAST ONE SIDE   OF EACH OF THE PLANAR MEMBERS INCLUDES SET OF SPACED LATERALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING SUPPORTS FOR REMOVABLY SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF A PLURALITY OF SKEINS THEREFROM.

May 23, 1972 E. J. BERG EMBROIDERY THREAD BOX Filed April 17, 1970 Edward J Berg INVEN'IOK.

am flaws; 5 Ma United States Patent 3,664,719 EMBROIDERY THREAD BOX Edward J. Berg, 1005 Woodbury Drive, Newport, Minn. 55055 Filed Apr. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 29,454 Int. Cl. A47b 63/00; A47f 3/06, 7/00 U.S. Cl. 312--185 v 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A housing including an open side with a plurality of generally planar members disposed within the housing and in spaced side by side parallel relation at generally right angles relative to the open side of the housing. The planar members are supported from the housing for individual edgewise extension and retraction relative to and through the open side of the housing. At least one side of each of the planar members includes sets of spaced laterally outwardly projecting supports for removably supporting the opposite ends of a plurality of skeins therefrom.

The embroidery thread box has been designed to provide a means whereby a large number of skeins of different colored embroidery thread may be supported and housed in an orderly fashion for easy access thereto when desired. The embroidery thread box not only supports skeins of thread for easy access thereto, but is also constructed in a manner whereby partially used skeins of thread may be returned to the thread box for storage in and orderly fashion until further use thereof is desired.

Many different devices have heretofore been designed for supporting different colored thread. Most previously known devices of this type have been constructed as pieces of furniture, but the thread box of the instant invention has been designed for utility purposes only, although its structural features could be incorporated in an article of furniture, if desired.

The main object of this invention is to provide a container for storing a large number of different colored skeins of embroidery thread.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide an embroidery thread storage housing constructed in a manner whereby access to and ready removal of substantially any skein of thread is provided.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device in accordance with the preceding objects and whose structural features are such that partially used skeins of embroidery thread may be readily returned to their storage positions until further use thereof is desired.

A final object of this invention to 'be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an embroidery thread box which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the embroidery thread box in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embroidery thread box with the closure side wall thereof in an open position and one of the embroidery thread skein supporting panels partially extended from the open side of the box;

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FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the embroidery thread box; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of one of the skein supporting panels of the thread box.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally-designates the embroidery thread box of the instant invention. The box 10 includes opposite side walls 12 and 14 interconnected at their lower marginal edge portions by means of a bottom wall 16 and interconnected at their upper marginal edge portions by means of a top wall 18. The rear end edge portions of the side walls 12 and 14 are interconnected by means of a rear wall 20 which also extends between the bottom and top walls 16 and 18.

A front wall 22 is also provided for closing the open side of the box 10 and the front wall 22 has its lower marginal edge portion hingedly supported from the forward marginal edge portion of the bottom wall 16 by means of hinges 24 and 26. The hinges 24 and 26 are secured to the bottom wall 16 and front wall 22 in any convenient manner and a latch assembly referred to in general by the reference numeral 28 and including a slotted tongue 30 hingedly supported from the front wall 22 and a hasp 32 supported from the top wall 18 is provided for releasably securing the front wall 22 in a closed position such as that illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

A plurality of upper longitudinally extending and transversely spaced spacing panels 34 and 36 are secured to the undersurface of the top wall 18 and a plurality of similar spacing panels 38 and 40 are secured to the upper surface of the bottom wall 16. A plurality of downwardly opening upper grooves 42, are formed between the adja cent spacing panels 34 and 36 and similar grooves 44 are formed between the spacing panels 3 8 and 40. The upper grooves 42 are vertically registered with the upwardly opening lower grooves 44 and a plurality of generally planar panel members 46 have their upper and lower marginal edge portions snugly and slidably received in the corresponding grooves 42 and 44. The panel members 46 are thus disposed in generally parallel laterally spaced relation and extend longitudinally of the box 10. The panel members 46 are individually extendible and retractable relative to the open side of the box 10 after the front wall 22 has been pivoted to the open position thereof illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings and the front and rear marginal edge portions of each panel member 46 have a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal support pins 48 secured therethrough. The opposite ends of each pin 48 are provided with diametric slots 50 and it will be noted that the free ends of opposing pins 48 carried by adjacent panel members 46 are at least slightly axially spaced apart when the panel members 46 are disposed within the box 10.

The horizontal spacing between the ends of corresponding pins 48 projecting outwardly from each side of each panel member 46 is such to enable skeins 52 of embroidery thread or the like to be supported from the pins 48 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

Each side of each panel member 46 includes ten pairs of horizontally registered pin ends and accordingly, each panel member 46 may support twenty skeins 52 without putting more than one skein on each pair of pin ends. Therefore, inasmuch as the box 10* houses five panel members 46, the box 10 may support one hundred skeins of thread in an orderly fashion and in a manner enabling a skein of a particular color to be readily located upon the opening of the front wall 22. After the proper color skein has been located, the corresponding panel member 46 is extended from the open side of the box 10 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings and the desired skein 3 may thereafter be removed from its supporting pin ends. Of course, as soon as the desired quantity of thread has been removed from the skein, the skein may be again returned to its supporting pin ends and the corresponding panel member 46 may be shifted back into the box 10.

The box may be constructed of any suitable material and a suitable lock (not shown) such as a padlock may be engaged with the hasp 32 to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of the box 10. Further, the top or upper wall 18 of the box 10 is provided with a centrally disposed handle 56 whereby the box 10 may be readily carried. Still further, panel members 46 and support pins 48 may be constructed of any suitable material and the horizontal spacing between each pair of corresponding pins 48 will be determined according to the particular skeins to be supported therefrom. Of course, the spacing between each pair of corresponding pins 48 will also determine the over-all length of the box although the Width and height of the box 10 may be retained.

Because of the upstanding position of the panel member 46, there is no tendency of the skeins 52 to slip off the ends of the support pins 48 when the box 10 is in an upright position, inasmuch as the support pins 4 8 are disposed normal to the panel members 46. Further, inasmuch as the panel members 46 are disposed in upright position, they may be more readily removed from and reinserted in the box 10. Also, it will be noted from FIG. 2 of the drawings that the corner portions of the spacing panels 34, 36, 38 and 40 at the forward ends of the corresponding slots 42 and 44 are beveled. Therefore, the first inserted ends of the panel members 46 are guided into the upper and lower slots 42 and 44-.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the inventon to the exact construction and operation shown and descrbed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A housing including an open upstanding side, a second upstanding closed side remote from said open side and top and bottom walls extending between the upper and lower marginal edge portions, respectively, of said open and closed sides, a plurality of upstanding panel members disposed in spaced side by side parallel relation and supported with the housing at generally right angles relative to said open side and for individual endwise extension and retraction relative to and fully through said open side, at least one side of each of the panel members being provided with horizontally spaced apart support portions from which the opposite ends of a horizontally disposed elongated skein of embroidery thread may be removably suppored, a pluraliy of horizonal elongated skeins each having its opposite ends removably supported from a corresponding pair of said support portions with one end of each skein disposed closely adjacent said open side, said housing being provided with an upstanding closure wall for said open side, said closure wall including a lower marginal edge portion hingedly supported from the marginal edge portion of the bottom wall of said housing defining the lower extremity of said open side, said closure wall being swingable from an upstanding position closing said open side to a horizontal position coplanar with said bottom forming an outward extension thereof and over which said panel members are movable during their extension outwardly of said open side, said panel members, exclusive of said support portions, being free of obstructions disposed in the spaces between the marginal edge portions thereof adjacent said open side of said housing when said panel members are retracted within said housing, whereby all of the skein ends supported from the support portions adjacent said open side may be readily viewed from the exterior of said housing through the open side thereof, wherein said housing includes means defining corresponding upper downwardly opening grooves and lower upwardly opening grooves disposed in vertical registry with each other and extending generally normal to said open side, said planar members including upper and lower marginal edge portions slidingly received in a pair of said corresponding upper and lower grooves.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,119,431 12/1914 Jones 312'12 1,758,223 5/1930 Fair 312-350 2,100,935 11/1937 Black 211-59 X 2,944,761 7/1960 Best 211- UX FOREIGN PATENTS 216,707 8/1961 Austria 312132 PAUL R. GILLIAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

